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NDP’s provincial race for Thunder Bay – Atikokan heats up

Although the provincial election is less than a year away, a crowded race is already shaping up to represent the NDP in Thunder Bay – Atikokan.
Although the provincial election is less than a year away, a crowded race is already shaping up to represent the NDP in Thunder Bay – Atikokan.

Lakehead school board trustee George Saarinen, former Schreiber mayor Madge Richardson and NDP constituency assistant Mary Kozorys have all confirmed they plan to seek the nomination in a riding the party lost by 50 votes in 2007.

However, NDP Thunder Bay-Atikokan riding president Beverley Dale said while several candidates have shown interest, no candidates are confirmed until the provincial NDP office signs off.

"They’re not an official candidate until they’ve been approved," Dale said.

Saarinen said he filed his paperwork last week. With hundreds of jobs lost in the region and overcrowding at the hospital, Saarinen said he wants to find solutions to the region’s problems.

"This HST is a big concern to me for single parents, seniors, people on fixed incomes," he said. "It’s choking everyone."

Kozorys, who works in MP John Rafferty’s office, said she has been waiting for the right time to run for office her entire life. She said poverty reduction and employment are important issues for her as well as establishing a more transparent and approachable MPP’s office.

"I feel that I have a real grounding and certainly an understanding of what the riding requires," she said.

Richardson could not be reached for comment Tuesday afternoon.

The NDP Thunder Bay-Atikokan nomination meeting will not take place until some time in the new year, Dale said.

The provincial election is scheduled for Oct.6, 2011.






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